5 Surprisingly Perilous Jobs for Your Hands

Gloves are replaceable, but these are the only pair you've got.

Some jobs probably never cross your radar as dangerous. Maybe that’s because they seem somewhat safe, or maybe it’s because you haven’t stopped to consider what the job entails. It’s the same as with Deadliest Catch. Who outside the industry knew that commercial fishing could be lethal until it became a reality TV show?

If you’re considering entering one of these fields or already work there, remember to always wear your personal protective equipment. You can replace a set of clothing that gets ruined on the job. But you can’t replace your hands.

#1: Commercial and Private Landscaping

You might never have thought about how dangerous landscaping can be. But as soon as you saw the word, you probably realized the risks immediately. Landscapers work with a lot of equipment, and most of it is sharp. Weed trimmers, hedge trimmers, lawnmowers, pruners and shears of all sorts pose a significant threat to hand.

Landscapers are also at risk of splinters from wood-handled tools, bee and wasp stings, and electrical shocks. Then there is the chemical hazard that comes with certain weed killers and lawn treatments. Working outdoors might be great when the weather is nice, but it certainly comes with more than its fair share of dangers.

#2: Building Janitors and Maintenance

Janitorial and maintenance workers have a number of dangers to their hands at almost every turn. First and perhaps most obviously, you never really know what someone has tossed into a waste container. There could be a broken bottle inside, sharp shards of metal or plastic, or even chemicals that have been disposed of improperly.

Cleaning chemicals are another risk. Everything from sanitizers to glass cleaners can be hazardous to bare hands, and some cleaning chemicals should never be used without serious, chemical-safe gloves.

Hands that care also face some of the worst risks.

#3: Nursing of All Types

It’s no secret that nurses have a difficult job. The long hours, grumpy patients and the risk of catching someone else’s flu are an everyday hazard. But nurse’s hands are also at risk from several different sources, says MSN.

Accidental needle sticks are scary to think about, but they do happen. And if the nurse is handling something more dangerous, such as a scalpel, the potential for injury grows. Additionally, working with very ill patients who have a contagious disease means nurses need dependable hand protection to keep the potential for spreading it (or catching it) at a minimum.

#4: Sanitation Work

If you thought janitorial staff handled questionable materials at work, imagine what a sanitation worker deals with every day. Sure they wear gloves, but MSN reminds just how special those gloves need to be. Some people throw away things such as broken mirrors, leaking chemical bottles, paint, knives and other hazards, and they might all be in the same bag!

That’s why sanitation workers need ultra-protective gloves. Factor in the likelihood of an unfathomable volume of biological toxins from decaying material inside the bags, and it’s easy to see why this job poses such a risk to worker’s hands.

#5: Commercial Farming

Farming? Farming. These men and women know how to put in a hard day’s work. And much of it is done using dangerous equipment. Any time there’s machinery involved, the people who use it risk serious injury to hands. When you’re working from sunup to sundown, the risk is amplified.

Beyond machinery, there are hand tools and seemingly ordinary blisters and splinters to watch out for. They’re not especially ordinary when you have to work with injured hands, and get up to do the same job again the next day, sometimes 7 days a week.

No matter what job you do, you probably use your hands for most of it. And while some jobs are probably low on the risk-o-meter, others that seem to be safe really aren’t upon closer examination. Chemicals, tools, and other hazards can cause painful burns, cuts, and punctures. Because you might not see the risk until it’s too late, you have to stay protected at all times.

Good thing Superior Glove planned ahead: we have gloves for practically every occasion, whether it involves fire, freezing cold, rope burns, splinters, or cuts from a spinning tool that came a little too close for comfort.

Want a work glove that offers reliable hand protection — no matter what the hazard might be? Our award-winning S18TAFGFNs should do the trick; they offer exceptional ASTM level 4 cut protection, ASTM level 4 puncture resistance, and amazing grip — not to mention that they’re also touchscreen compatible. Trust us: you need this glove in your life.